Deeper Than Friendship
by Traci
Summary: "Scary Monsters" post-ep. Doggett still keeps hearing Monica's screams of pain.


Disclaimer: Not mine, never have been. Belong to Chris Carter, 1013 Productions, must I include FOX???? I really don't wanna!!!!!! And, of course none of these characters ever would have come to life without the likes of Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny, Annabeth Gish, and Robert Patrick. Thanks for all the years!!!!  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Spoilers: Post-ep for 'Scary Monsters'  
  
Category: Reyes/Doggett friendship/UST  
  
Author: Traci  
  
Feedback welcomed at traci_ann@yahoo.com  
  
Author's Notes: I'm soooo going to miss this show!! Why can't they go on for another 9 years with Monica and Doggett????? WHY????? They are just as awesome - okay, no one will EVER take the place of Mulder and Scully but hey, these 2 come close!!!!! And while we may not always have Paris - we'll always have fanfic!!!!  
  
  
  
Deeper Than Friendship  
  
Agent Dana Scully escorted Agent Harrison and her friend from the X-Files basement office to continue their private tour.  
  
"Looks like you have a fan," Agent Monica Reyes laughed, looking to her partner.  
  
"Lucky me." Agent John Doggett took his seat behind the desk that had formerly belonged to X-Files founder Agent Fox Mulder. "Guess Mulder owes me for that one."  
  
Monica smiled and looked at him. "Thank you."  
  
His eyes met hers, questioning.  
  
"You really did save our lives back there, mine especially. I didn't get a chance to thank you for that."  
  
Doggett brushed it off, however. "You would have done the same for me." Inside, though, he could still hear her screams of pain. He could still see some creature moving beneath her skin. He could still see the terror in her brown eyes.  
  
"John?"  
  
Busying himself with a pencil that he suddenly found fascinating, he avoided eye contact. "Yeah?"  
  
"Seeing as it's Friday and I have no plans, I was thinking of ordering pizza and beer to go with some movies. Want to join me?"  
  
Placing the writing utensil down, he leaned back in the chair and graced her with his New York-trained-no-nonsense-cop smirk. "And I'm thinking you're only asking me because it's my turn to bring the beer."  
  
Monica smiled. "Remember when I said you were a dog person."  
  
He nodded.  
  
Her smile grew into a mischievous grin. "I forgot to add that you were easy to train too." With that, she turned on her heels and made her way to the door. "See you at seven," she called over her shoulder.  
  
Doggett shook his head. "At seven," he whispered.  
  
*************  
  
So far the evening hadn't gone as planned for John Doggett. It started with being stuck at the office followed by fighting his way through more- than-typical Friday night traffic in D.C. followed by having to try three beer distributors before finding what he was looking for. Now, at eight- thirty at night, he sat in his car outside Monica's place. His cell phone rang.  
  
"Doggett."  
  
"Are you going to sit out there all night?"  
  
Doggett laughed. "Was thinking about it."  
  
"I should call the police and tell them someone suspicious is outside my door."  
  
"You could do that," he responded. "But then what would you drink with your pizza?"  
  
"Well, my partner was supposed to be here awhile ago with beer and he just hasn't showed," Monica teased.  
  
"Too bad for him."  
  
"Are you going to get in here or am I going to have to drag you in myself?" she finally asked.  
  
Opening the car door, he grabbed the 6-pack. "On my way."  
  
Monica met him at the door with a smile. "About time!" She stepped aside to let him in. "Traffic was that bad?"  
  
"Yeah, turns out a truck full of pigs turned over on the Beltway too."  
  
She burst out laughing.  
  
John stared at her. "You wouldn't have thought it was so funny if you had been the one sitting in that traffic nightmare."  
  
"I'm sorry, John," she said, taking the beer from him and heading to the kitchen. "I'm just picturing all those pigs running around the Beltway. Not something you see everyday in DC you know."  
  
He stood in the doorway watching her pour their drinks. Once again the memory of nearly losing her came crashing in. Closing his eyes, he shook his head to try and clear them out. When he opened his eyes, Monica was standing in front of him, her face full of concern.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing," he lied and went to sit on the couch.  
  
She followed, handing him his beer, and sat beside him. "You're no good at lying, you know. Especially not to me."  
  
"It's nothing, Mon."  
  
She covered his hand with hers.  
  
He looked at her.  
  
"This is me, John." Recognition filled her eyes. "I'm alright. What happened back in Pennsylvania is over. I'm fine."  
  
Taking a deep breath, he looked away. "So what movie did you get?"  
  
"Oh no, you're not changing the subject that quickly." Monica paused. "I'm right, aren't I?" With one look from him, she had her answer.  
  
"I just keep picturing that… thing moving around beneath your skin and…" His voice lowered to just above a whisper. "And your screams of pain and there was nothing I could do."  
  
Hesitating only for a moment, she wrapped her arms around him. "I didn't realize. You did all you could do," she softly told him. "If you hadn't stopped the boy… John, don't do this to yourself."  
  
Somehow having her in his arms made him feel better. It was finally sinking in that she was, in fact, okay.  
  
Slowly they separated.  
  
"Thank you," he sheepishly said.  
  
"You would have done the same for me," she said, repeating his statement to her earlier in the day.  
  
"So, what movie did you get?"  
  
Retrieving the DVD from the rental case, she loaded it into her player. "Probably one you've already seen," she told him apologetically. "Terminator II."  
  
"Terminator II?" he asked in disbelief. "Never thought of you as an action movie buff."  
  
She returned to her seat beside him. "Normally I'm not, but one of my friends recommended it." Turning to grin at him, she added. "Said the guy who turns into liquid is really hot."  
  
He laughed out loud. "If you say so."  
  
As the previews began, they settled back on the couch.  
  
"Movie, pizza, beer," John began, then turned his head towards Monica, waiting for her to look at him. When she did, he finished with, "And someone to share it with."  
  
"Makes for a perfect evening," she finished.  
  
He nodded and both turned their attention back to the movie knowing more evenings like this were definitely in their future.  
  
  
  
The End 


End file.
